Geranium plant named ‘Paclai’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Paclai’, characterized by its upright, rounded and compact plant habit; freely basal branching and flowering habit; salmon pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Paclai’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Paclai’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Zonal Geraniums that have attractive salmon pink-colored flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 1999 of two proprietary selections of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. The cultivar Paclai was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since December, 2000 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Paclai’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Paclai’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright, rounded and compact plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching and flowering habit.     -   3. Leaves with a distinct zonation pattern.     -   4. Salmon pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Evening Glow, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,167. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Evening Glow in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were larger than plants of         the cultivar Evening Glow.     -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had smaller leaves and         shorter petioles than plants of the cultivar Evening Glow.     -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more freely flowering         than plants of the cultivar Evening Glow.     -   4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger flowers than         plants of the cultivar Evening Glow.     -   5. Flower color of plants of the new Zonal Geranium was lighter         than flower color of plants of the cultivar Evening Glow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Paclai’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Paclai have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown during the summer in containers in Dresden, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 18° C., night temperatures about 16° C. and light levels ranging from 15 to 100 kilolux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were about nine months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Paclai. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 18 days at 22° C.             Winter: About 22 days at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 25 days             at 22° C. Winter: About 30 days at 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright, rounded and compact plant             habit; uniform; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth             habit. Freely basal branching habit with about 10 to 12             lateral branches per plant; pinching is not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 to 15 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 1 to 3 cm. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate or opposite;             simple. Length: About 3 to 4 cm. Width: About 6 to 7 cm.             Shape: Reniform. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cordate; open. Margin:             Crenate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; rough; leathery. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescence on the veins; rough; leathery. Color: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A;             venation, 137A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B;             venation, 146C. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Intense.             Location of zone from margin: About 5 mm. Width: About 1.5             to 2.5 cm. Color: 147A. Petiole: Length: About 2.5 to 4 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Salmon pink-colored flowers; semi-double             rotate flowers arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels             arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed above the             foliage on strong peduncles. Flowers face upright to             outward; flowers slightly cupped. Flowers persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 15 umbels             per plant, about 25 flower buds and open flowers per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous from             April until frost in the fall.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to ten             days and umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant.         -   Umbel height.—About 7 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 to 11 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: 144B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About six to eight. Length:             About 2 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: 41C; towards the             margin, 49B; towards the base, close to 155D; becoming             closer to 52C with development; venation, 41B. When opening             and fully opened, lower surface: 52D; towards the base,             close to 155D; venation, similar to petal.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: None to about two. Length:             About 1 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Irregular in shape.             Apex: Acute to rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous; crinkled.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 41C;             towards the base, close to 155D; venation, 41B; color             becoming closer to 52C with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: 52D; towards the base, close to             155D; venation, similar to petaloid.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 144C.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 7 to 10 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: 146B.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 3 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About eight. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong. Anther color: Brown. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Golden brown. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Five to             six-parted. Stigma color: Purple. Style length: About 3 to             4 mm. Style color: Purple. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from −0.5     to 40° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Paclai’, as herein illustrated and described. 